The Ballston – Grade II
SAR Race #5 1 1/16m InTurf Graded Stake
Purse $300.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Beach Towel Winning Link Stables Corrales G 123 —

As so often happens at HRP, a horse can run all of its career on one surface and do well and then suddenly switch surfaces and find an extra leg. Sometimes it is simply because they are equally as good on both surfaces as seems to be the case in most instances, and there is no rhyme or reason behind it. But sometimes it can turn out to be a hidden trait that has just been waiting to be found. In this four-year-old’s last two starts she switched to turf after a successful career on dirt which saw her run in the BC Distaff last year and what we have seen is a filly that seems to have found a new lease of life. Her win in the Nassau last time was top notch and a repeat of that will see her go three from three on this surface.

2 Reorganize Czech Out Farms Davis D 123 —

This daughter of Dial It In had performed well as a three-year-old ending the year strongly and when she came out and ran a close fifth in the Pegasus it was clear that she had lost none of her ability in the age change. A good win in the Gallorette certainly gives her a hope here but it was her last start in the grade one Diana that she really excelled and, on that performance, and from a great gate she certainly looks a winning hope. This trip is her optimum trip and with an easy stalk I can see her being in the fight at the end.

3 Reaper Lightning Alydar Stables Velazquez J R 123 —

The winner of her last three, she has started to look more like the promising filly that was bought for $400.000 from Fractious Stable after a pretty disappointing start at the Alydar barn. She still has something to prove at this level, but the signs are good that she is back to her best and that would put her right in this.

4 Painville Mo Mentum Farm Geroux F 123 —

The dual winner of the BC Fillies and Mares Turf and undisputed Turf champion hasn’t looked her old self this year although to be fair she has only been maybe a length off her best. That has probably kept the trainer interested as she would make an obvious choice at seven to be a top broodmare prospect, but with five good efforts without a win the temptation must be to go for an unprecedented third BC win. She hasn’t exactly been running badly, and she was never ultra consistent so it may be her turn to shine today and I for one will be cheering her on because no one loves an old champion more than me.

5 Cheerful Empire D J C Racing Stables Lopez P 123 —

A win on an off track at fair level over five furlongs is hardly the sort of form you expect to be beating the top mare in the game but here at HRP much stranger things have happened and you can’t blame the trainer for having a go with this lightly raced four-year-old. Her works are pretty good but even they don’t seem to match up, so a win is unlikely on so many levels that the only one left is the good old HRPism.

6 Categorical Destiny Mb Stables Franco M 123 —

It is that time of year that horses can improve or fall away at remarkable speed and there have been a few from this stable recently that have gone from fair overnight types to stakes winners which makes me wary of this one. Her works are probably better than all the accomplished horses in this field and yet her form doesn’t back those work times up. Third in an LS allowance last time would give her no more than an outsider’s chance but those work times shine bright in her stats, and you have to take her chances seriously.

7 Awesome Angel TwinTowersRacing Gutierrez Mario 123 —

She has been battling with the draw monster more than her rivals this season and once again gets a wide draw to contend with. Her one terrible run this year came on an off track but she has been OK in her other starts and deserves a shot here.

SUMMARY

I have to go for Painville here although I do worry about her coming to the end of her career. At her best she wins, even close to her best could be good enough. The others all have their chances on paper but only a fool would write off Categorical Destiny because her form isn’t good enough as I have been seeing plenty of fast workers take big leaps up their improvement curves recently.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES